Nostalgia

Nostalgia by definition is, “a sentimental longing or wistful affection for the past, typically for a period or place with happy personal associations.” This is a common emotion often evoked through the art of cinema. When both are combined, it provides and effective and strong way of making the audience feel nostalgic.

Visual Techniques

There’s a handful of techniques used by filmmakers in order to create nostalgia in their films. Several of those technique are usually done visually.

Film Grain

Before the creation of digital cameras, movies used to be shot on physical film. Because of this, exposure to sunlight would often cause small particles of metallic silver on the stock that would cause the films to have a grainy look. In order to capture that vintage feeling, filmmakers will often shoot modern movies with old cinematic film cameras to achieve that “old”look. It’s also a look that can be achieved during post production with a simple overlay.

VHS Inserts

Much like the film grain, VHS is another use of vintage technology used to create nostalgia in films. Again, this technique can either be achieved through the use of actual VHS recorders or with a post production overlay. Regardless, VHS is normally used in a montage sequence of a film, usually to show the younger past of a character. This particular technique is incredibly affective because it’s something the audience can relate to. Most of us have our own “home footage” to reminisce on the past.

Warm Lighting

Most films that try to evoke nostalgia due so by staying away from cold and harsh lighting. Instead they lean towards warm, yellow, and hazy lighting in order to produce a comforting look. This comfort allows the audience to have a sense of safety and lean into what they feel is familiar. The familiarity they feel provides an easy pathway to that nostalgic feeling.

Genres

When it comes to nostalgia, there are two genres that do it best, Coming of Age and Period Pieces.

Coming of Age

This is a genre that usually writes nostalgia in itself. The genre of coming of age usually includes teenagers, or young people, going through a transformative part of life. The genre in itself is very relatable and allows us to see ourselves in the characters onscreen. In these kind of films were often transported to the pasts of our own lives when we were that age going through those same things, leaving us feeling nostalgic for the time. These films also combine all the visual techniques previously spoken about, enhancing the nostalgia.

Period Pieces

Period pieces purposefully take place in the past, and automatically create a longing for it. Regardless if the past is a place the audience has or hasn’t been to, it has the audience yearning. Usually the period pieces strong-suit lay within the set decoration and wardrobe. We see styles and pieces that aren’t used or worn anymore, vintage ones. With these movies being set far back in time it irrevocably causes a sense of nostalgia in the audience.

Recurring Concepts

Nostalgia doesn’t only lay in the techniques and visuals of the story but in the writing itself. There is a common thread of concepts shown within these kinds of films.

Christmas/Holidays

A common tactic used to evoke nostalgia are holiday scenes, especially Christmas ones. Christmas time in real life is already a very nostalgic holiday for several people. Putting this on the screen transports us to that very feeling. Christmas scenes are usually lit with christmas lights providing a comforting and warm atmosphere. Often the scenes take place in small towns where everyone’s familiar with each other. There’s dinner parties and chatter that make us long for the holiday season.

High-school

Often found in the Coming of Age genre, scenes containing high schools are a fail proof way to remind the audience of an earlier time in their life. From those recently graduated to those who haven’t been in high school for decades, we all can’t help but hurt a little when looking at an old highschool gymnasium in a film.

Nostalgic Movies

• Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret (2023)
• Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)
• The Holdovers (2023)
• Little Women (2019)
• Pride and Prejudice (2005)
• Aftersun (2022)